Certified Cybersecurity Leadership Strategist (CCLS)
Mar 11, 2026 - Mar 13, 2026
Full course description
Presented by Right of Boom & USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing
In Partnership with the USF Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education
Certified Cybersecurity Leadership Strategist (CCLS)
Building Security Programs Executives Will Fund
The 3-Day Immersive Leadership Workshop
Built for security leaders who are responsible for one company or MSP/MSSP vCISOs and security leaders, who are responsible for numerous clients.
Instructor: Brian Blakely, CISO, Bellini Capital (biography below)
Why This Workshop Exists
Most cybersecurity professionals are trained to identify risk. Very few are trained to lead executives, shape decisions, and secure funding. This workshop closes that gap.
Over three immersive days, participants develop the leadership posture, business fluency, and executive communication skills required to design and defend security programs organizations will prioritize and invest in.
This is not technical training. This is security leadership development.
End Results for Participants
- › Translate technical risk into business impact
- › Map critical business functions and data flows
- › Design security programs aligned to organizational goals
- › Deliver executive-level and board-ready briefings
- › Justify cybersecurity investment with clarity and structure
- › Lead effectively during high-pressure incidents
The Learning Experience
Participants engage in hands-on leadership development including business function and dataflow mapping, incident leadership simulations, executive communication drills, risk-to-business translation workshops, budget justification frameworks, and governance, metrics, and AI-risk discussions.
Every module builds real-world leadership capability.
Credential Outcome
Participants who pass a scenario-based exam and executive briefing assessment earn the university-backed Security Leadership Foundations Certificate and become a Certified Cybersecurity Leadership Strategist (CCLS) validating foundational capability in leadership, governance, executive communication, and program design.
A Pathway to vCISO Leadership
Graduates receive a vCISO Pathway Voucher, providing a structured bridge into the advanced vCISO Certificate Program. This establishes a formal professional journey:
Security Practitioner → Security Leader → Executive Advisor
Who Should Attend
Senior security and IT practitioners, security managers and team leads, vCISO practice builders, MSP and MSSP leadership, and professionals preparing for executive-level responsibility.
The Bigger Purpose
This program is part of a joint initiative between Right of Boom and the University of South Florida to create a university-endorsed cybersecurity leadership pipeline. The mission is to develop professionals who don't just secure systems, but who can lead organizations through risk, resilience, and investment decisions.
Includes:
Keynote speeches from Jen Easterly, CEO of RSA and former Director of CISA and Rachel Wilson, Head of Wealth Management Data Security & Infrastructure Risk, Morgan Stanley.
Location
JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
510 Water St, Tampa, FL 33602
View on Google Maps
Includes lunch on March 12th & 13th.
Ongoing Training
Monthly online meet ups, Discord Channel and ongoing CPEs will be included with monthly dues of $99.00.
Brian Blakley Biography
Brian Blakley brings over 30 years of real-world leadership in information security and business strategy, shaped by a hands-on career building, growing, and successfully exiting multiple MSPs. As a seasoned executive, board advisor, and entrepreneurial force, Brian knows the MSP grind intimately and he’s made it his mission to help MSPs shift from "just IT guys" to indispensable business risk advisors and revenue protectors. From landing a company on the INC 500 list with 1,200% growth, to guiding enterprises through complex infosec and compliance journeys, Brian blends street-smart business acumen with elite certifications like CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, CMMC-CCP, and Certified CISO. His approach centers on translating technical risk into language that boards, executives, and business owners understand, bridging the gap between cybersecurity strategy and revenue protection. Today, Brian advises MSPs, SaaS companies, and mid-market organizations on how to turn compliance and security into growth engines. He mentors founders and serves as the driving force behind scalable, audit-ready security programs. His deep experience includes roles as a full-time and fractional CISO, risk assessor, compliance strategist, and trusted M&A advisor.